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Pitchfork’s Odd Future Booking Results In Protests

Pitchfork is receiving some heat for booking controversial hip-hop group Odd Future at its Pitchfork Music Festival. It was announced in May that Odd Future, known for its misogynistic and violent lyrics, would play at the festival on July 16, and now, many Chicago organizations dedicated to raising awareness about violence against women, as well as some LGBT rights groups, are planning on protesting Odd Future’s presence at the festival. Between Friends, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting domestic violence and abuse, announced yesterday that it will be handing out 5,000 hand fans around the park and in the streets. The fans will contain a message about violence against women, as well as a list of resources, on them. The hope is to start the conversation and to offer an alternative to festival goers who are not comfortable with Odd Future’s message.

These organizations are not the only ones speaking out against Odd Future. In May, before the Pitchfork booking had been announced, Sara Quin, one (identical) half of Canadian sister duo Tegan And Sara, wrote a blog in which she made her disapproval for Odd Future—and for the surprisingly little amount of criticism it has received for its lyrical content—very clear. “Because the more I think about it, the more I think people don’t actually want to go up against this particular bully because he’s popular. Who sticks up for women and gay people now? It seems entirely uncool to do so in the indie rock world, and I’ll argue that point with ANYONE,” she wrote.

Given Odd Future’s history, it seems unlikely that this will be the last of its controversies, but it is definitely one of its biggest as it could impact the entire atmosphere at Pitchfork.